Keiland Williams Might Be the Answer at Running Back

With the Ronnie Brown trade falling through, the Lions were down to Keiland Williams, Maurice Morris, and new guy Eldra Buckley.

Jerome Harrison (get well soon) is out for the season on IR, and Jahvid Best is out with yet another concussion.

It looked like lots of doom, frankly. But what actually happened is perhaps the Detroit Lions most effective rushing attack of the year.

Yeah, maybe they didn't have the home runs they had against Chicago, but it was a more effective and more consistent rushing attack from start to finish.

Maurice Morris was consistent as ever. Everybody knows what to expect out of him, but Williams was a bit of an unknown quantity.

Williams didn't get a lot of carries, and Morris is still clearly ahead of him on the depth chart, but what I saw out of Williams was perhaps the closest thing to a power running game they've had all season.

Williams was taking straight handoffs up the middle for 5-10 yards, and I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a whole lot more of that going forward.

The Lions Are a Terrible Two-Minute Team

I don't know what it is—considering how the Lions are supposed to be a passing and a comeback team.

I don't know why they have such a hard time getting the offense going in time-sensitive situations.

It happened last week against San Francisco with the game on the line, and it has been an issue all season.

The Lions just don't seem to be able to finish halves strong. That's particularly worrisome since the Lions have made a habit of playing from behind.

In most games this season, the Lions have either allowed points before the half, or failed to get anything of their own. In many cases, they've run such a poor two-minute drill that they give the opponent time and field position to get points instead.

Good teams finish halves strong. Right now, the Lions are putting themselves in bad situations because of their inability to run the two-minute drill on either offense or defense.

A lot of that shortcoming falls on the right shoulder of my next subject.

I figured that would mean more interceptions, and I give the kid credit for playing more within himself. He hasn't been a turnover machine, the way he looked like he might in his first season.

If anything, Stafford's mistakes fall on the other end of the spectrum. He has been conservative, uncertain, and seemingly rattled in the last couple games.

When the Lions were winning, it was because Stafford was trusting his arm and his receivers, and he was right.

But he seems a little more timid every time he takes a hit (which is a lot, lately).

You can blame the offensive line for that, because great pocket passers play the game knowing they can stand in and let the play develop (have you seen how statue-like Tom Brady can be in the pocket?).

Now, don't mistake this for me calling Stafford out. He's still the future of the franchise, but it's way, WAY too early to put him on that Brees/Brady/Rodgers level. The kid is still 23 years old. Give him time.

The Lions' Biggest Weakness? Red Zone Offense

What happened here? I thought the Detroit Lions were the most dangerous red zone team in football, because nobody can cover Calvin Johnson's 11-foot range in the end zone?

I suppose the best way for opponents to cover Calvin Johnson in the red zone is for Stafford to never throw him the ball.

Now, I give Stafford some credit here. He's trying to spread the ball around and make smart reads. Johnson is seeing two guys in coverage on almost every play, especially in the red zone.

My question is: So what? He had three on him in Dallas when Stafford bombed up a 30-yard pass that may as well have been a Hail Mary.

He came down with that, so why not give him at least a shot on a fade route from the 10?

It has to be better than a no-yard gain and a couple of incompletes, right? Getting field goals instead of touchdowns in the red zone has been the difference between winning and losing the last two games.